Slide arrangements have already been used for a very long time in automobile vehicles for adjustment of the front-rear position of a seat. Arrangements are known which comprise:
a central slide placed in the longitudinal axis of the seat for its front and rear adjustment; PA1 an assembly of two slides placed on each side of the seat for the same front and rear adjustment, these slides being generally identical insofar as it is possible to place them correctly on the floor of the vehicle. PA1 a lower profiled member of a U-shaped cross-section with legs having free ends that form an outwardly bent portion having a central recess, with the legs and the outwardly bent portions defining a groove; PA1 an upper profiled member of an upside down U-shaped cross-section with side portions having free ends each forming an inwardly bent portion extending at a right angle relative to the side portions, the inwardly bent portion having a vertically upwardly extending end section with a bulge, the upper profiled member connected to the lower profiled member such that the vertically upwardly extending end sections engage the groove and define an inner space delimited by the end section, the inwardly bent portion, and the outwardly bent portion; PA1 a damping element made of a deformable semi-flexible material, the damping element inserted into the inner space and supporting the lower profiled member and the upper profiled member relative to one another in a vertical and a horizontal direction, the damping element being a continuous member of a length that corresponds to a length of the lower and the upper profiled members, the damping element having a 5-shaped cross-section with a top cross-bar, a vertically extending stem and a U-shaped bottom half, with the bottom half positioned between the side portion and the bulge and resting at the inwardly bent portion and with the top cross-bar resting at the outwardly bent portion; PA1 at least one ball and braces inserted into the central recess for providing an easy displacement between the lower and the upper profiled members; and PA1 latching means connected to the lower profiled member and the upper profiled member for locking the lower and the upper profiled members relative to one another.
In order to make these slides, profiled members have been manufactured with mating shapes so that the lower profiled member, fixed directly or indirectly to the vehicle floor, is formed with legs having a shape related to that of the mobile upper profiled member of the slide the side portions of which are also adapted so as to cooperate with the legs of the fixed profile. Between the fixed profiled member and the mobile profiled member either on one side or on both sides, at least one ball is placed between cylindrical braces, having the same diameter as the ball, so as to facilitate a sliding of the mobile upper profiled members with respect to the fixed lower profiled members, these two profiled members constituting the slide as such.
In spite of extensive research on the cross-sectional shape of the fixed and mobile profiled members, and their mounting with the assistance of balls and braces, see particularly DE-A-3 046 165, there exists so far no slide arrangement with a suitable reduction of play that causes noise, which noise adds to the noise produced by the car body, the engine and the transmission of the engine movement to the wheels.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a slide arrangement which in a simple manner eliminates the disadvantages caused by play and noise by providing a slide arrangement comprising a simple and deformable damping element which considerably limits play and therefore noise.